


What Happens in the Darkness

by kinda_ooc_just_a_little



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:34:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26800747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinda_ooc_just_a_little/pseuds/kinda_ooc_just_a_little
Summary: Snippet of Call of Cthulu OC Nadia and Mark
Kudos: 3





	What Happens in the Darkness

The piercing sound of a bullet ricochets throughout the neighboring tress of the woods, the sun slowly setting from behind. The sound fades as it is briefly replaced with the sound of metal against metal, a chick-chack, and once again the piercing sound.

Mark sighs as he hears the all too familiar grunts and quiet curses as he observes the woman in front of him, fiddling with the bolt and chamber where one of the bullets was currently jammed. “You’re trying to reload too fast, Odessa.”

“Don’t call me that.” The woman mumbles as she forces the chamber back, finally popping out the bullet and replaces it with another one. “And I’m going to need to learn how to reload fast. I don’t want to be caught off guard again.”

Mark sighs once more and folds his arms. “Look, Ode-“

Another piercing sound; the bullet going straight into the middle of a paper target held up by a switchblade. This time accompanied by the woman looking back and glaring daggers into the man.

“Okay then… Nadia.” He slowly approaches her, careful not to make any alarming noises. After the one time he dashed toward her yelling about how she could have almost gotten killed on one of their hunts and accidentally sending her spiraling into a panic attack, he swore to never raise his voice again. “You’ve been out here for most of the day. How about a break?”

“I can’t take a break.” She responds, grabbing for another bullet.

But before she could, Mark swipes it from under her.

“Hey! What are you-!”

“How long has it been since you’ve eaten?” He says sternly.

“What does that matter-“

“How long has it been since you bathed? Took a break? How about actually thought about how your actions are affecting the people around you?”

Nadia tightens her lips, unable to answer.

“I know you are going through a lot but,” He holds the almost empty box of ammo in front of her. “Doing this will not cure you.”

A moment of silence fell between the two before Nadia finally worked up the courage to speak. “I can’t stop. I want to… I really do. But every time I do I…” She clenches her eyes, imagining the horrific winged demon that sprinted toward her, screeching and ready to tear her limb from limb. “I see it.”

Mark hums and lowers his eyes to match hers. “Look. I can’t even begin to know or understand or believe what you saw. But I do know you need to take your own advice that you keep telling everybody else.”

She lifts her eyes briefly and makes eye contact with the man in front of her.

“You need to stop blaming yourself. Whatever happened, it’s not your fault. And whatever you experienced; it’s going to take time to comprehend it. Just do what you can do now, and the rest will follow.”

Nadia clenches her fist and wipes a stray tear from her face. “You’ve been reading my books, haven’t you?”

Mark nervously laughs. “Well… that and maybe I overheard you and Emily during one of your ‘firing sessions.’”

Nadia turns to observe the target. Not so much as target but a paper of swiss cheese barely held by the switchblade. Then her eyes turn toward the darkness behind the trees. She can feel it. She can sense it. She can damn near hear it. A call. A call to what, she can not fathom. But she knows that there is no turning back now. She pulls herself out of her trance with the call of her name. “I’m fine, Mark.” She grunts as she stretches her back out, aching from hovering over a rifle all day. “Maybe I’m due for a meal.” Almost as if on cue, her stomach growls loudly. “Or two.”

Mark laughs. “Don’t worry. Got plenty of food inside.”

Nadia smiles softly at his kindness as she starts to follow him inside.

“N A D I A.”

Her eyes shoot open as she quickly turns around, her rifle clenched in her hands at the whisper of the voice. The wind suddenly picks up, causing the dirt and leaves on the ground to flurry. Her heart starts thumping harder, her breathing quickening at the sense of dread that suddenly enveloped her. She gasps for air, but no matter how much she does, it feels like it’s never enough. Sweat drips down her face but her body was cold. 

The darkness of the forest was suddenly growing darker. She couldn’t see anything that would warrant this; she could feel it. Like something was sucking the hope out of her, pulling her into the darkness, calling her…

“Hey!”

She jumps at the feeling of a hand on her shoulder.

“You okay? You’re starting to look pale.” Mark says with worry on his face.

Nadia looks back to the woods, the breeze calm and any sense of dread gone. “I-I am fine. Probably just need a nap after dinner.”

Mark watches her silently as she briskly sets the rifle inside its case and dart inside the cabin. 

Nadia quickly pulls out her journal.

“I felt it again today. Thankfully, I had my rifle with me, but it did not help. There was nothing to shoot at. I’m so tired. After the war… my parents… I was starting to feel some normalcy again. But it seems that I can not run from the horrors of this world forever. It feels like whatever this thing is, is slowly sucking the life out of me, until I can not do anymore. Science and Mark says that it’s my own mind playing tricks with me. But if that were true, would I not be able to control some part of it? It has to be something. An entity, just like back at the Warehouse. It has to. For if it is not…

…I fear I may be actually losing my mind.”

**Author's Note:**

> What happens in the darkness stays in the darkness.


End file.
